Always Only You
by MysticManhattan
Summary: AU. Caroline is in a horrible car accident and goes into a coma. When she wakes up she thinks it's 2009, every memory from then to present has vanished. Will she choose to go down the same path that she chose before, or will she choose an entirely different one? And most importantly, will she ever get her memories back? Everyone is human!
1. Chapter 1

**HI GUYS AND GALS! So, I haven't written a fic in a while, but I just didn't know exactly what to write and I didn't take much time to really sit and think about it. I know that my last fic was a Klaroline fic, but I'm sort of stuck on them right now I guess. I can't believe they aren't going to be on the same show anymore :'(((( **

**Anyway… back to the story. Please let me know what you think of this first chapter: If you think I should keep going, scratch the whole thing, etc. **

**Everyone is human! I haven't really thought much about other couples besides Klaroline, (with a little bit of Tyler thrown in BOOOOO :-P hehe) but even if there are other couples, they won't be a big part of the story.**

**Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Happy reading…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD, The Originals, or any of their characters.**

* * *

_Wake up, Caroline!_ She thought to herself as she tried to force her eyes open, but they wouldn't as much as flutter. She wanted to scream, to hit something, to move an inch, but her body just wouldn't cooperate. It was as if she was caught in a never ending nightmare, aware of what was going on around her, but not able to wake herself up so she could participate in the real world.

"Caroline, can you hear me?" She heard her best friend, Elena, ask.

_Of course I can hear you! I'm not dead! _Caroline wanted to yell, but she couldn't make herself respond.

"It's me, Elena," the voice spoke again. "Care, if you can hear me, please wake up."

Caroline could hear the sadness in her friend's voice. _I'm trying. I really am._

"Any change?" Another voice entered the room, a voice that Caroline recognized, but couldn't quite place.

The voice was deep, obviously a man's voice, but it was filled with so much grief that Caroline's own heart felt like it was breaking. As she continued to listen to the conversation taking place in the room, she realized that the man had an accent, a British accent. The only men she knew with a British accent were the Mikaelson brothers, and she had no idea why any of them would be there.

"I just wish she would wake up. I don't understand why she hasn't come out of this yet," Elena explained.

"I know. I keep expecting her to open her eyes, but I guess she will when she's ready," the man replied.

_I'm ready right now!_ Caroline's anger returned.

Caroline listened to the rest of their conversation, adding her own mental responses when she felt like they were necessary. After what felt like forever, Elena said her goodbyes. Caroline thought it was odd that her best friend was leaving, but it sounded like the man had no intentions of going anywhere. As she continued to rack her brain about who the man could possibly be, she felt a hand grab her own.

"Please wake up, sweetheart," the voice pleaded before planting a kiss on the back of her hand.

_It can't be…_Caroline thought to herself as she recalled the only man ever calling her sweetheart with that accent was none other than Klaus Mikaelson. _Come on, Caroline_, _you have to wake up!_ She put all of her concentration on this seemingly simple task. _It's time…_

Caroline's eyes began to slowly open. _I did it!_ She began to smile until she took in the scenery around her. She looked around the white room filled with chairs and monitors before her eyes landed on the last man she ever thought would be sitting beside her hospital bed.

"Why am I here?" She whispered.

Klaus' head shot up to meet her gaze, the surprise evident on his face. "Caroline! You're awake!" The smile that appeared was genuine, not his usual smirk, Caroline realized. "Hang on, I have to get the doctor," He told her before disappearing out of the room.

A minute later he reappeared with what had to be her doctor. The two men took what looked to be their usual places, the doctor by Caroline's side and Klaus near the end of her bed.

"It's nice to see those eyes, Caroline," The doctor smiled. "Do you remember how you got here?"

Caroline shook her head.

**_Flashback~ 1 week ago_**

_Caroline entered her home after another long day of party planning. She was exhausted and starving, but from the lack of smell coming from the kitchen, she knew she was going to have to order take out from someplace._

_"Nik, I'm home," she called out as she unwound the scarf that was wrapped around her neck. _

_When she received no reply, she began to look for him. As she was exiting his office, she noticed the red flashing light on their answering machine. She walked over and pressed play._

_"Hello, sweetheart, I'm going to be at my studio late tonight. I'm still not ready for this art show tomorrow. Don't wait up for me. I love you." His voice filled the room._

_Caroline smiled as an idea popped into her mind. She called their favorite Chinese restaurant and placed an order. Then, she wrapped the scarf back around her neck, collected her keys, and walked back out to her car. She was going to surprise him with dinner; after all, she knew he probably never stopped to eat since he had been working all day._

_She had just picked up the food and was stopped at a stoplight, headed in the direction of his studio. It was foggy and dark outside, which didn't make driving any easier. The light turned green, so Caroline pushed down on the gas pedal. As her car entered the center of the intersection, she saw headlights coming from the opposite direction that were far brighter than they should have been. She looked to her left just in time to see a car speeding towards her, but it was too late for her to do anything to try to prevent the crash._

**Present Day**

"You were in a car accident," The doctor explained to her without going into any great detail.

"How long have I been here?" She asked, fearing that the answer would be much longer than she thought.

"You've been here about a week, but Caroline, I need to ask you a few more questions to see what you remember. Are you feeling alright for that?"

Caroline nodded, and then waited for him to continue. Her gaze wandered towards Klaus who was still standing at the end of her bed. His smile appeared once more, his dimples prominent. Caroline forced a small smile back, wondering why he was even there in the first place. Where was her mom? Elena? Tyler?

"Can you tell me where you live, Caroline?" The doctor caught her attention.

"Mystic Falls."

He nodded before continuing onto the next question. "Can you tell me what year it is?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. _Is this really necessary?_ She wondered. "2009," was her reply.

Instead of nodding, the doctor's eyes shifted to Klaus, which in turn caused Caroline's to do the same. She saw the concerned expression that now took over Klaus' face. Her brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what was so upsetting.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, her attention going back and forth between the two men.

Instead of replying to her question, the doctor asked another. "Caroline, do you know who this is?" He grabbed Klaus' arm and led him closer to her.

"Of course," Caroline responded. Klaus let out a sigh of relief. "He's Klaus. I just don't understand why he's here."

Klaus felt like he had been punched in the stomach. The doctor politely excused himself and Klaus from the room so they could speak alone. Klaus explained that she had called him "Nik" ever since they had been together, so something wasn't right. When the doctor understood, he told Klaus to go back in and just talk to Caroline to see if it would jog her memory.

Caroline was confused and starting to get frustrated. She knew that something was wrong, but she couldn't figure it out. When Klaus entered the room, she didn't waste any time trying to get an answer.

"What is going on?"

Klaus took a seat on the bed beside her. "Sweetheart, it seems as if you've lost some of your memory. It's 2013, not 2009."

'What?" Caroline asked, horrified. This couldn't be happening. This had to be some kind of joke. "Where is my mom? Why are you here?" She began to panic.

"Calm down, love." He took her left hand in his. "Your mom will be here first thing in the morning."

"That doesn't answer my question about why you are here," She snapped.

He looked down at her hand that was still positioned in his. He began playing with the silver object that had never left its place since he put it there a year ago. Caroline looked down to see what was distracting him. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when she discovered it.

Klaus looked up to meet her gaze. "I'm here because I'm your husband."

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**I know that so far, you might say that this story resembles The Vow, but I am not using The Vow as any kind of foundation. Any similarities will be coincidental, and I think you'll like the outcome of this story a little better maybe… (hopefully) :) Thanks for reading! Don't forget to let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**WOW! I can't believe how many of you have already followed this story! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!**

**I know that there are going to possibly be a lot of similarities to The Vow just because of the type of story it is, but I'm not trying to follow The Vow at all. However, I completely see the similarities! :) **

**Thank you to every single one of you who reviewed! You are amazing! Also, thank you to everyone who followed and hit that lovely favorite button!**

**LEACHARMEDONE~ I'm not making any promises because I don't know exactly how I would incorporate them into the story yet, BUT if I see a way to fit in some other couples who would you like to see? Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! P.S. I ship Delena so Stelena isn't an option hahaha sorry **

**Anyone can really answer that question ^^^ She just asked in the reviews :) **

**Thank you all again! Happy reading….**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD, The Originals, or any of their characters.**

* * *

"My what?" Caroline yanked her hand away from his to examine the expensive diamond ring that rested on her finger. Sure enough, not only was there an engagement ring, but also a band of diamonds. "I can't be married! I'm only a senior in high school." She looked back up at Klaus as if she were waiting for an argument.

"No…" He started to explain, but she interrupted him.

"And why would I be married to you? I'm with Tyler."

Klaus didn't expect her last statement. The last thing on his mind was who she had been dating in 2009, which is why what she said had hit him hard. At first he felt hurt, hurt because he never wanted to see her love another man. She was his, always and forever, like they promised each other. Then came the anger. It took him a long time to overcome his anger issues, and he probably never would have if it weren't for Caroline, but this past week had been too overwhelming. He just couldn't handle anymore. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. Not only had they dealt with a horrific accident, now they were dealing with memory loss. When he finally took control of his anger, defeat set in. He knew there was absolutely nothing he could do to make her remember everything at this moment. The only thing that could possibly work would be to talk to her about the last few years and show her pictures, but even that wasn't a guarantee. He felt his strength crumble, and tears threatened to fall. She was awake. This was supposed to be a happy time. Instead, he didn't know if he'd ever truly get her back.

Caroline would swear that she saw tears fill Klaus' eyes if she hadn't known him, but he turned and walked away before she could really confirm it. The Klaus she knew was a jerk. He always tried to get her to leave Tyler for him, but she never gave in. Although, sometimes he was quite tempting, she would never do that to Tyler. Besides, she knew that Klaus wasn't capable of love so she wouldn't waste her time.

"Well?" She prompted when she never received an answer.

Klaus tried to wipe every emotion off of his face before turning back towards her. "Maybe you should get some sleep, sweetheart. You've had a long day."

"Why won't you answer my question?" The determination in her eyes made it clear that she was feeling better.

"I think you've learned enough information for one day. Besides, your mom and friends will be here in the morning, so you need to get some rest." He made his way to the side of her bed before bending down and placing a light kiss on Caroline's forehead. "Good night, love," he stated.

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest and groaned, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. If circumstances had been different, Klaus would have laughed at the scene. Instead, he headed for the exit and whispered, "I love you," too low for her to hear.

The next morning Caroline woke up to the sound of voices in her room, voices that she recognized.

"Shhh," her mom told Elena. "We don't want to wake her up."

"Maybe you don't, but I do. It's been hard not having her here," Elena admitted.

There was a brief silence before she heard her mom's voice again. "I know. Let's give her five more minutes and then we'll wake her."

Caroline couldn't keep the smile from her face. "I'm up, I'm up," she laughed as she opened her eyes to see her mother and best friend sitting in a couple of the chairs across the room.

"Caroline!" They both shrieked as they made their way to the bed before smothering Caroline with hugs.

"How are you feeling?" Her mom's face showed concern that Caroline had never witnessed before.

The bubbly blonde smiled. "I'm great. I'm so glad you two are here!"

Liz took her daughter's hand. "Honey, Klaus told us about your memory."

Caroline's gaze went to Elena, whose eyes were aimed at the floor. If she were being honest, she had hoped they were going to tell her it was all a joke. She looked at her mother again.

"Yeah, it seems that I've forgotten some things." Her thumb began to fiddle with her wedding rings.

"That's alright, dear. We will help you get your memory back," Liz smiled, and then looked to Elena for confirmation. "Isn't that right, Elena?"

Elena smiled at her best friend. "Of course, but speaking of Klaus, where is he?"

Caroline shrugged. "I haven't seen him since last night. I guess he just went home."

Elena's brow puckered as she considered what Caroline had said, and the blonde didn't miss her expression.

"What is it?"

"That's just weird. The only time Klaus has left your side since you were admitted was to grab something to eat or drink." Elena's expression still portrayed her confusion. "He was never gone for long. Definitely not overnight."

Caroline thought it was strange how her mom and best friend accepted Klaus so easily. They knew what he was like, and she couldn't think of anything that would have made him change. However, the man Elena was describing sounded nothing like the Klaus Caroline knew.

Before the conversation could continue, the door flew open and two more familiar faces entered the room.

"Care! You're awake!" Matt exclaimed as he enveloped her in a hug. "We've missed you around here." His smile was contagious; everyone in the room wore the same goofy grin.

"Hey Matt! I would say I've missed you too, but I don't feel like I've been gone," She joked.

"That's not funny," Tyler stated as he took Matt's place, squeezing Caroline with a hug. "It's good to have you back, Care."

"Thanks, Tyler." Caroline's expression gave away everything she was feeling for Tyler in that moment.

Elena glanced between the two exes before deciding that she needed to do something. "Tyler, can I have a moment with you outside, please?"

"Come on 'Lena, we just got here."

Elena lifted her eyebrows. "Please? It's important."

"Fine," Tyler agreed and motioned for Elena to lead the way.

When the two were in the hallway, safely out of earshot from the others, Elena decided it was time to let Tyler in on exactly what was going on.

"Tyler, Caroline thinks it's 2009. She can't remember anything past that," She stated, waiting for him to make the connection. After a minute of staring at his blank expression, Elena sighed. "She thinks that you two are still together, Tyler."

His eyes widened in shock. "But Klaus?"

Elena nodded. "She knows that she's supposed to be married to him, but in her mind it's 2009. That means her feelings are stuck in 2009. Do you understand?" She felt like she was talking to a child.

"Oh my…" Tyler started, but was cut off by an agitated voice.

"Elena," Klaus walked up to the two brunettes. He looked as if he hadn't slept, and by his tone, he sounded angry. "I need to talk to Tyler alone, please." His eyes never left Tyler's.

"Uh, sure, I'm just going to go back in with Caroline." Elena eased her way back into the hospital room.

"Let's get something straight here. I don't care what year Caroline thinks it is, she is _my_ wife. I suggest that you stay away from her. Is that clear?" Klaus was now toe to toe with Tyler, his teeth gritting tighter and tighter as he continued to speak.

Tyler's smirk was in place, clearly not bothered by what Klaus was saying. "The way I heard it, she has feelings for me, not you. And the way I see it, she's a big girl and can make her own decisions." He started to walk back into the room when Klaus grabbed his arm, forcing Tyler to look at him.

Klaus was inches away from Tyler's face. "If we weren't in a hospital right now, my fist would have already made contact with your face, but I won't chance getting kicked out of this place. Nonetheless, maybe I should jog your memory a bit. She left you for me once; do you really want to feel that humiliation again?"

Tyler glared back at the man standing in front of him, his smirk vanished. He yanked his arm free. "You better hope she'll make the same choice twice." He entered her room, forcing an end to the confrontation.

Klaus, angry, hit his fist against the wall before storming off. He didn't know where to go, but he knew he wasn't strong enough in that moment to see Caroline laughing and happy with her family and friends when he didn't know how long it would be before he would be the one making her smile again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you again to EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU who has followed, reviewed, and added this story to your favorites! I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

**I guess this author's note is going to be short and sweet because I don't know what else to say other than thank you, haha! Unless, of course, you all want to tell me how you feel about TVD and The Originals so far, then leave that in the reviews :). Happy reading…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD, The Originals, or any of their characters.**

* * *

Klaus woke up in his old bedroom at the Mikaelson mansion the next morning after about three hours of sleep. He couldn't make himself go to his home, _their _home. There were too many happy memories connected with that house, and he knew that going there would magnify the absence of Caroline. He had experienced that the night before. However, he learned that it didn't matter where he was, he always felt like a part of himself was missing, the part that she held.

He made his way down the stairs, hoping that his sister wasn't home. As he entered the kitchen, he realized that luck wasn't on his side because the blonde was standing right in front of the coffee maker. Rebekah nearly screamed as she turned around and realized that there was someone else in the house.

"Nik! You scared me!" She held her hand over her heart, as if that would slow its rapid pace. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you with Caroline?" She knew all the basics of Caroline's condition, but she was surprised to see her older brother standing in front of her.

Klaus made his way over to the cabinet, retrieved a mug, and began to fill it with coffee before responding to his sister. "I would rather not talk about it, Rebekah."

"You never left Caroline's side the entire time she was in a coma. Do you expect me to believe that something extremely important didn't happen to keep you from being there now?"

"Just drop it," Klaus growled. "I didn't come here to talk. I came here to get some sleep."

Rebekah was almost shocked at her brother's outrage. She hadn't seen him so angry in years, actually since he began dating Caroline. Yet, she had grown to expect it for so many years that she wasn't intimidated.

She gestured toward his appearance, "Which you obviously didn't get much of." She sighed and leaned against the counter top. "What's going on Nik?"

"What's going on?!" Klaus slammed his mug on the counter. "What's going on?!" He asked incredulously. "My wife doesn't remember ever marrying me! In her mind we are in 2009, which means that to her I'm the guy I was four years ago. Also, she just happened to remind me yesterday that in 2009 she was with Tyler! Tyler of all people," he threw his hands in the air. "I should be with her. Instead, I'm here, in a house that isn't our home while she's in a hospital bed, and if it were up to her, I'd never step foot in her room. That's what's going on, Rebekah."

Rebekah felt the need to comfort her brother, but she figured that he would just push her away. She knew that the only thing he needed at the moment was Caroline, and that was one thing she couldn't give him.

"I'm sure that's not true. You've explained to her that you two are married. She has to at least want to know what has happened in her life in the past four years, and you're the only one that can really give her that information."

Klaus shook his head. "You don't get it. She's in love with Tyler. Right now, she doesn't care about the past four years of her life. All she cares about is being with her friends and family, which should include me, but to her, it doesn't." Tears filled his eyes, but before one could complete its trail down his face, he wiped it away. "And last night, Tyler made it pretty clear to me that he was going to take full advantage of her condition." His jaw tightened as he made his last statement.

"Caroline chose you over him once, and she would do it a hundred more times. Don't give up on her, Nik." Rebekah's eyes were filled with compassion for her brother.

Klaus met her gaze. "I will never give up on her."

Klaus' ringing cell phone interrupted the serious conversation. He looked at the screen to see that the hospital was calling.

"I have to take this," he told Rebekah, his heartbeat picking up speed thinking that something had happened to Caroline and he hadn't been there.

"Hello?" He answered.

_"Mr. Mikaelson?" _The person on the other end of the line asked.

"Yes. Is Caroline alright?"

_"Yes, Mrs. Mikaelson is perfectly fine, which is actually why I was calling. We are releasing her today and I didn't know what time you were coming back up."_

Klaus looked at his watch. It was already almost noon. "I'll be there soon," was his reply before hanging up the phone.

"Is everything alright?" Rebekah asked, not being able to hear the other person's reply to her brother's question.

"Caroline's being released today." Klaus had the first real smile in what felt like years. "I have to go."

Klaus pulled into the hospital parking lot twenty minutes later. He rushed straight into Caroline's room, excited to see her, and excited about the fact that she was getting to come home. He was relieved when the only other person he saw was her mother.

Caroline was sitting on the side of her bed, dressed and ready to go, while her mom was searching the room making sure they had everything.

"Hey, sweetheart," Klaus smiled at Caroline as he made his way over to her.

"Hi," she smiled back, and he realized it was genuine, but he didn't know if that had to do with him or the fact that she was getting to leave.

"Are you excited to be going home?" He took a seat beside her on the bed.

She nodded. "I'm tired of looking at these walls and it's only been two days. I can't imagine what everyone else must have felt like being here for a week."

Liz's eye caught Klaus' as they shared a silent conversation. Klaus had been the only one to stay with her consistently for a week. Elena had come in and out a few times, and Liz tried to be there every day that she wasn't working. No one else showed until Caroline woke up, but he decided to keep that information to himself.

"Good afternoon, Caroline," the doctor entered the room. "It looks like you're ready to leave us," he smiled.

"No offense, but I'm ready to see the outside world again."

"I completely understand." He held out a clipboard with papers attached. "We just need you to sign some forms, and then you'll be on your way."

Caroline grabbed the clipboard and began signing the forms. She started writing Forbes, and then she paused, her pen hovering above the paper. She looked at Klaus. "I guess my name isn't Caroline Forbes anymore, huh?"

He shook his head. "No, love, it isn't." A part of him was excited because she remembered that she was married, but another part felt saddened that she even had to ask.

She signed the rest of the papers, trying to get the hang of writing Caroline Mikaelson, but it felt so foreign. She handed the clipboard back to the doctor when she was finished.

"We suggest that you go on living your life like you had been prior to your accident. It could help in stimulating your memories, but ultimately it is your decision." The doctor stated, then retreated to the door. "You are free to go whenever you make your choice." He smiled at them and disappeared.

"Ok, Caroline, it looks like we have everything. I'll follow you two out to your car." Liz held her daughter's bags in her hands.

Klaus helped Caroline stand up, but the blonde didn't show any intentions of making anymore movements. "What do you mean our car, mom? I thought I was going with you."

Liz's head shot towards Klaus before returning to her daughter. She was surprised, and didn't have any intentions of her daughter going back home with her. "Honey, you heard what the doctor said. It's best for you to live your life like you were before the accident. That means going back to _your _home."

"Don't worry, love, everything will be alright, I promise." Klaus tried to soothe Caroline when he saw the panic growing on her face.

She shook her head. "I have to go with you, mom. To me, that's where I was before my accident. Please let me come with you."

Klaus felt guilt in that moment. He sensed that Caroline was afraid to be alone with him, and that bothered him more than anything had thus far. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to keep any of his emotions from surfacing. He wondered what he was like in her mind. But on the other hand, he thought he might not want to know.

When he got control over his feelings, Klaus turned to Liz and gave her a small nod. He didn't want Caroline to be anywhere that she wasn't comfortable, no matter how uncomfortable it made him.

"Okay," Liz told Caroline. "You can come with me."

At the car, Klaus led Caroline to the passenger side. She stopped him before he could help her get inside.

"I'm sorry that I can't be who you want me to be," she whispered. Her blue eyes were peering up at him from underneath her lashes.

A knot grew in Klaus' throat as he looked down at the woman he loved. He wanted to kiss her; to tell her that everything would work out, but he didn't know if that was true. "It's not your fault," was all he could manage to say.

She looked down at her hands, and his gaze followed. He saw that she began to pull the wedding rings off of her finger. He grabbed her hands to stop her movements.

Her eyes met his again. "I don't feel right keeping them. You should have them."

He shook his head. "Those belong to you. They are a promise from me, and every time you see them, I want you to remember that I love you." He leaned down so he could whisper in her ear. "Always only you." He closed his eyes as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. When he pulled away he saw that she had tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"You'll remember," he replied.

When Liz, who was already in the driver's seat, saw that their moment was over, she asked Caroline if she was ready to go. Caroline nodded, and allowed Klaus to help her get inside the small vehicle. As they drove away, she held Klaus' gaze as he stood in the parking lot watching them leave.

On the drive home, Caroline began digging in her bag that had been at the hospital. She didn't recognize anything that was inside, but she did see a phone. _It has to be mine_, she thought to herself. She turned it on and waited for it to load. The picture caught her by surprise.

She gasped. Her background was a picture of her and Klaus in Paris. She could see the bottom of the Eiffel tower behind them. Her whole face was lit up, as the picture had caught her mid laugh. Klaus was kissing her cheek, but she could see the adoration that filled his blue-green eyes.

Liz looked over to see what had her daughter's attention. When she saw the background she couldn't help but comment. "Klaus couldn't wait to take you to Paris. He takes you some place new every year. He says he wants you to experience everything this world has to offer. That trip just so happened to be for your one year anniversary."

"I can't believe that I finally got out of Mystic Falls and I don't even remember it," Caroline mumbled to herself. She turned to her mom. "Was I happy?" She felt the tears starting to fall again.

Her mom smiled. "I've never seen you happier than when you were with Niklaus."

Caroline's focus went back to the picture, and even through her tear filled eyes she could tell that what her mother said was true.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! Thank you to everyone who has followed, reviewed, and hit that favorite button! You are all beyond awesome! :) **

**PLEASE READ::: If you asked me anything in the reviews this is where I'm going to answer them!**

**Klaroline-teenwolf: I would rather not spoil the whole story for everyone in my author's note (just in case anyone wants to be surprised), so if you REALLY want to know, please PM me, and I'll gladly answer your questions, but ultimately, no, I do not plan on this story having the same ending as The Vow! Hope that helps a little! And you are more than welcome to PM me! Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)**

**Onceuponatimeships: I'm sorry, but right now, it looks like I'll only be able to update once a week! With college and life in general, I can't make any promises. But, if I end up writing some chapters quicker, I'll try to post more often. Thank you for reading and reviewing! :)**

**Ok, sorry for the long author's note this time! Let's get back to the story, but don't forget to follow and review, please! Happy reading…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD, The Originals, or any of their characters.**

* * *

Caroline woke up the next morning in the room she grew up in. She felt like that was where she was supposed to be, but she had a nagging voice in the back of her mind that wouldn't stop reminding her that she had her own house now. A house with Klaus, who was her husband. She shook her head, wondering how she could possibly forget such an important person in her life.

As she really looked around the room for the first time since arriving back home, she realized how empty it truly was. There were hardly any clothes left hanging in the closet, the drawers were practically bare, and her vanity that had once been overflowing with jewelry and make up was now vacant. Caroline walked over to the mirror where a couple of pictures remained. One picture was of just her and Elena, and the other was a group picture that included her, Elena, Matt, and Tyler. Caroline took the picture of her and Elena from its place and held it close to her face before looking into the mirror. She could see the subtle changes for the first time, the differences between the beginning of senior year, when the picture was taken, and now. Her hair was a bit longer now and somewhat darker, as if she stopped getting highlights. Her laugh lines were a little deeper, as well as the creases around her eyes. They were signs that it wasn't 2009 anymore. Caroline was older. For the first time she truly realized how much of her life she was missing. She tried to fight the overwhelming emotions, but they were too powerful.

The tears began to fall as Caroline stared at herself in the mirror. It was as if she was staring at a stranger, someone she had seen before but didn't actually know. As the realization of losing four years began to really sink in, she lost it. There was no controlling the gut wrenching sobs that were coming from the usually bubbly blonde. She slid to the ground because her legs were too weak to hold her up, wrapped her arms around her body, and cried. She laid on the ground until she couldn't cry anymore, but even after the tears stopped, she couldn't force herself to get up.

_Remember!_ She willed herself, concentrating as hard as she could, but nothing changed. _You have to remember,_ she pleaded again, as if begging her mind to remove the barrier that was hiding her memories away.

As she continued trying to force her memories to flood back in, the doorbell rang. She didn't feel like getting up so she decided to let her mom answer it, but after the third time the chime went off, she realized her mom must have already left for work. She pulled herself up and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy, her nose was red; there was no way to hide that she had been crying. Before she could even attempt to try to make herself presentable, the doorbell rang again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she called as she made her way down the stairs. When she made it to the front door, she swung it open without even checking to see who was outside. She was shocked to see Klaus standing there with a box in his hands.

"Caroline!" Klaus dropped the box on the ground and gently grabbed her arms. "Are you alright, love? What happened?"

The concern on his face shocked Caroline. She still wasn't used to the caring side of Klaus, and she didn't know if she ever would be. "Nothing happened. I'm fine," she replied, not comfortable sharing her problems with him.

"I know you, Caroline. Something is bothering you." His gaze stayed fixed on hers.

Caroline was beginning to lose herself in his blue-green eyes, and in that moment she wanted to be comforted. Then, she remembered the only Klaus she knew and she snapped out of the trance. She pulled away and motioned for him to come into the house. "Like I said, I'm fine."

Klaus tried to mask the disappointment he felt at her actions by turning to pick up the box and making his way inside. He didn't respond to her snappy reply, but instead headed straight for the living room like he had been there a million times.

"Would you like a drink or anything?" Caroline called from the entryway where he left her standing.

"Not right now, sweetheart. Please come in here. I have some things I want to show you."

Caroline's brow furrowed as she wondered what he could possibly want to show her. Whatever it was, she knew it had to be in that box. As she entered the living room, she saw that Klaus was sitting on the couch patiently with the box at his feet. He looked up at her and smiled, then patted the seat next to him. Caroline bit her bottom lip as if she were contemplating whether or not to join him.

"I promise I won't bite," his smile transformed into a smirk.

Caroline rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as she closed the distance between them. "You better not," she joked back. She took the seat beside him. "What's all that?" She gestured towards the box.

"This," he pulled out the contents, "Is our life in pictures."

Caroline's eyes widened. "All four years?" She felt the excitement start to build inside her. "Wait," she turned so that her body was aimed towards his. "Have we been together for four years?"

Klaus almost looked shy as his genuine smile appeared. It was the first time she had taken an interest in their relationship, and he was going to enjoy every moment of it. "I finally talked you into going on a date with me right after you graduated high school."

Caroline's eyebrows shot up. "How'd you convince me to do that?"

"Did you really think that low of me?" If Caroline hadn't mentally lost those four years of her life, she would have recognized the hurt in Klaus' eyes.

The blonde's eyebrows were still raised. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Klaus shook his head, deciding it was best to not get into that at the moment. "The most important thing for you to know right now is that you gave me a chance to prove myself to you once, and I hope that you will let me do it again."

"Klaus, I…" Caroline started, but was quickly cut off.

"Just look at these pictures. See if they help jog your memory at all. If it helps, I will tell you exactly what was going on in every picture with as many details as possible."

The look on Klaus' face nearly broke Caroline's heart. She could see the desperation; she could see how bad he wanted her to remember their lives together, so she nodded. "Which one do I start with?"

"Pick whichever one you'd like." He spread the books out in front of her on the coffee table.

Caroline chose the one that she thought was the prettiest. It was white with an elegant silver vine design running along the edges. When she examined it closer, she realized that their initials were on the spine. After she opened the cover, she knew exactly which picture album she had chosen: their wedding.

**_Flashback~ Day of the Wedding_**

Caroline took a deep breath as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was already wearing her perfectly fitted floor length mermaid style white dress; her veil flowed from her curly blonde hair that was pinned up in an elegant style. She only had minutes until she had to make her way to the aisle.

"Nervous?" Elena stood beside her best friend.

Caroline turned towards the brunette. "Is it weird to be nervous that Nik isn't going to be at the end of the aisle waiting for me when I get there?"

Elena almost laughed. "Are you crazy? That man is completely smitten with you! There's no way he would miss the chance to marry you."

Caroline smiled. "You're right. Nothing will ever keep us apart."

"It's time." Liz entered the room. "Are you girls ready?"

Caroline had decided to keep the wedding party small. She chose Elena to be her maid of honor and Rebekah to be her one bridesmaid. Klaus' best man was his brother, Elijah, and his one groomsman was his other brother Kol. Caroline had asked her mother to walk her down the aisle since she hadn't heard from her father in years, and her mother gladly accepted. However, the wedding party was the only thing that was small. Caroline had practically invited the whole town of Mystic Falls to the ceremony, and almost everyone had agreed to come. She had to go all out; she was Caroline Forbes, soon to be Mikaelson, after all.

Caroline allowed her mother to lead her to the ceremony, which Caroline and Klaus had decided to have at the Mikaelson mansion. Caroline had the entire backyard transformed into a garden of mixed white flowers. The back of the chairs were draped in blue satin, as were the tables that were placed in the reception area. At the end of the aisle stood a white gazebo, the pillars wrapped with the same blue satin, and inside that gazebo stood the man she loved.

When Caroline looked up through her veil, everything and everyone disappeared except for Klaus. One look at him standing there waiting for her, and her mom couldn't walk her fast enough down the aisle. The moment her hand met his, every bit of her nerves disappeared.

The two said their vows and exchanged rings, promising to love each other as long as they both should live. When the preacher told Klaus he could kiss the bride, Klaus didn't waste any time. He lifted her veil, raised her chin with his finger, and then pressed his lips to hers. Caroline could feel the excitement behind his kiss as their lips moved together in perfect synchronization, both completely lost in the moment. Caroline pulled away and laughed when she heard the eldest Mikaelson brother clear his throat. Klaus quickly kissed her cheek before the preacher announced the two as a married couple.

**_Present Day_**

Caroline saw the pictures of their first kiss as a married couple, their first dance, shoving cake in each other's face, but nothing sparked a memory. She asked Klaus questions, but it didn't matter how many details he gave, she couldn't recall any of it.

The further she got into the book, the more frustrated she became. She didn't make it to the end before she slammed the book shut and jumped up from the couch, tears falling for the second time that day.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Klaus stopped her pacing by standing in front of her and placing his hands on the tops of her arms. When it looked like she wasn't going to explain, he continued to push. "You can talk to me, Caroline."

She looked up at him, confused. Her head was telling her that this was the jerk that she remembered, but her heart was telling her that he was her husband, who she once loved, and she needed to trust him.

Klaus' hand moved to the side of her face, and his thumb began to wipe away the tears that were lingering on her cheek. "Please, talk to me," he pleaded.

Caroline leaned into his touch, her heart winning the battle. "I feel like I'm looking at someone else's life, but it's me in all the pictures. It's the weirdest thing I've ever felt."

"We'll get through this, Caroline. Together," he promised her.

She nodded as she began to realize just how she could have fallen in love with him. If this was the kind of man he had become, loving and kind, she could see why she married him. However, the moment was quickly ruined when her cell phone began to ring.

Elena's name flashed across the screen, so Caroline answered it.

"Hey, Care, how are you feeling?" Elena asked.

"I'm good." Caroline replied, but her attention was on Klaus instead of the call.

When Elena realized that Caroline wasn't going to say anymore, she continued. "I was wondering if you wanted to come out tonight. I thought it might be good for you to have some fun."

"Tonight?" Her eyes were on Klaus again. He was putting away the photo albums that he had brought, but he was listening to her conversation.

He looked at her. "You should go. You'll have fun with Elena."

This time, she saw his disappointment. "Are you sure? I can stay here with you and go through the rest of these albums."

He shook his head. "I think you've been through enough today. We can try again tomorrow. Go." He tried to force a smile.

She nodded once, then told Elena she would be ready to go out that night. However, she nor Klaus knew that it wasn't just going to be her and Elena.


	5. Chapter 5

**HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEN! And of course, happy TVD day!**

**Hey everyone! Thank you for reading, favoriting, and reviewing! I hope you all enjoy this chapter :) There is a little bit of happiness in it haha.**

**Arielmermaid: Yeah, maybe during a flashback or just in a discussion. I really haven't thought about that haha, but I'll try to remember to throw it in somewhere! Thank you for reading :)**

**Ok, so let's get on with the chapter! Happy reading…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD, The Originals, or any of their characters.**

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Caroline got ready to go out for the evening, her mind set on a girl's night with her best friend. However, when her doorbell rang she got a surprise. She swung the door open, expecting Elena to be standing there, but she was met by an entirely different brunette.

"Hey Care!"

"Tyler?" Caroline's smile faltered as she tried to hide her shock. "Now's not the best time. Elena's on her way to pick me up."

"Actually, she's waiting in the car." Tyler gestured to the running vehicle sitting in the driveway.

Caroline's brow puckered as she went over the conversation she had had with Elena in her mind. She didn't remember anything about Tyler being mentioned, but to be honest she was too distracted with the man that had been standing in her living room at the time. Then, she realized how much it would hurt Klaus if he found out that she went out with Tyler of all people, even if it was just as friends. _Since when do I care about Klaus' feelings?_ She wondered to herself.

"Caroline?" Tyler became concerned when Caroline didn't respond.

She snapped out of her trance. "Uh, sorry. Maybe I should just stay in tonight."

"Are you feeling alright?" He stepped closer towards her.

Caroline stepped back. She couldn't explain it, but she felt like by letting Tyler in, she was cheating on Klaus. She almost laughed at the thought. She woke up from her coma thinking she was dating Tyler, but she was surprised to find that her feelings weren't as strong as she had remembered them to be.

"Come on! What's taking so long?" Elena yelled from the idle vehicle.

"I'm fine. I just don't think this is a good idea," Caroline told Tyler honestly.

"You need to have a little fun. Don't make me go get Elena. You know she will drag you out of your house." He smiled.

She knew what he said was true, and she couldn't wipe away the grin that was forming on her face. "Fine."

"Great, let's go." Tyler led the way to the vehicle with Caroline right on his heels. "By the way, you look beautiful," he threw over his shoulder.

"Thanks," she replied. She expected butterflies to start swarming in her stomach, but she felt nothing but gratitude. What girl wouldn't appreciate someone telling them they look beautiful? However, it wasn't the feeling she would get had it been a man she loved that told her that.

She took her place beside Elena in the backseat. Matt was in the driver's seat and Tyler in the passenger's seat. She felt like she was in high school, which ironic enough, she was mentally stuck there.

"So, where are we headed?" Caroline asked the group as Matt pulled out of her driveway.

"The only place we can go in this town," Elena replied.

Caroline didn't need any more of an explanation to know they were going to the Mystic Grill, so her attempt at conversation ended there. However, Tyler broke the silence quickly after.

"What did you do today now that you're free from the hospital?" He turned so he could see Caroline's face.

She shrugged. "Just went through some pictures." She didn't know how much Tyler liked Klaus, but she was guessing that they didn't care for one another.

The small talk continued until they pulled up at the Grill. When they entered, her gaze immediately landed on the two men sitting at the bar: Klaus and Elijah. The perk and problem of living in a small town was that everyone went to the same place. As if they were two magnets drawn towards one another, Klaus turned and locked eyes with her. His lips began to form a smile until he saw the guy following Caroline.

She lifted her hand to wave, but when she saw his expression change into one of anger, her arm fell back to her side. She mentally punished herself, knowing that she should have never agreed to go with Tyler. She was about to walk over to Klaus, to tell him that she was going to spend the evening with him and Elijah, but he turned back towards the bar. Caroline felt like that was his way of shutting her out, of letting her know that now was not a good time to talk to him. Elijah turned towards the doorway to see what had soured his brother's mood, and Caroline felt the knot form in her stomach as the eldest brother looked at her with such disappointment.

Caroline wanted to tell them both that she was sorry, but she was conflicted. Part of her still didn't care what Klaus thought, and even though Elijah had always been nice to her, she didn't feel like she owed him an apology either. But the other part of her wanted to be near Klaus, as if her body remembered him even though her mind didn't. She realized that her mind and heart were battling each other again, which seemed to be a reoccurring theme that day. Her heart remembered, which explained her lack of feelings for Tyler. She sighed.

Tyler's hand landed lightly on Caroline's back, guiding her towards a booth. She gave in, sensing that Klaus didn't want to talk to her at that moment. She would have to call him and explain some other time.

Caroline wanted to sit by Elena, but Tyler made sure she was stuck beside him. As they all sat at the table, Caroline was only catching bits and pieces of the conversation. Her attention was on the brothers.

"Why didn't Rebekah come?" She heard Elena ask. Caroline's interest was caught for the first time since sitting down.

"Rebekah Mikaelson?" She joined the conversation.

Elena nodded. "She and Matt have been dating for a little over a year now, right Matt?"

"Yeah. She said she was going to be spending some time with her brothers tonight, but since Klaus and Elijah are right over there and she's nowhere in sight, I'm wondering what she's really up to." Matt replied.

The group looked over at the bar; the brothers were still turned away from them. Then, Caroline turned back towards Matt.

"You are dating Rebekah? Rebekah Mikaelson?" She waited for his nod before continuing. "Wow, I never would have guessed that."

"She could be with Kol," Elena reminded Matt of the other Mikaelson brother.

"Yeah," Matt decided. "I'm not going to worry about it right now. We are here to have fun, right?" He smiled his contagious smile, and they all agreed.

Caroline's glance kept wandering over to Klaus, and she would occasionally catch him glancing over his shoulder. She noticed that the plates that had been in front of them were now gone, yet the two men were still sitting there.

"You want to go play a game of pool?" She felt an arm land across her shoulders as Tyler's voice filled her ear.

She turned towards him. She had to resist pulling away when she saw how close he was to her. Before she had time to answer, she heard a loud bang coming from the other side of the room and turned to see what it was. Elijah was picking the chair that Klaus had been seated in up off of the floor. Caroline barely caught a glimpse of Klaus as he stormed out of the restaurant, slamming the door as he left.

Caroline jumped out of the booth as fast as she could, heading to the door.

"Caroline," Tyler yelled after her, but she kept walking. "Caroline!" He yelled again. The blonde stopped. "Where are you going?" He was now behind her, spinning her so she had to look at him.

"He is my husband! You and I have been over for a long time, and that isn't going to change just because I lost my memory." She was being louder than she had intended, but she was angry. "I have to go." Tyler hoped that no one heard, but that thought was shattered when he saw all eyes were on him.

Caroline ran out into the parking lot, hoping that he hadn't made it to his car. "Klaus?" She yelled, but she didn't get a reply. She continued scanning the large area as she called his name. "Klaus? Please answer me!" She knew he had to be out there somewhere because no car had driven away.

"Go back to Tyler. He's who you want."

Caroline spun around. He had come out of nowhere, but she was glad he was there. "Why would you say that?"

He walked towards her, his hands behind his back. If she didn't know him at all, she would think he was calm, but she wasn't being fooled. "I don't know, maybe because you still love him."

"I may love him, Klaus, but I'm not _in_ love with him. So please, don't tell me how I feel." She crossed her arms.

"Then why are you here with him? You made me believe you were just going out with Elena." His eyes showed every ounce of his anger, but his voice was beginning to rise as his emotions got the best of him.

Caroline glared at the man in front of her. "You didn't even give me a chance to explain! I would have come to you the minute I walked into that restaurant," She shoved her finger in the direction of the Grill, "but you turned away from me."

"Well I'm here now, so let's have your excuse," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, but didn't correct his substitution of explanation. "I had no idea that Tyler was going to come until he showed up on my doorstep. I too thought it was just going to me be me and Elena. I tried to get out of it because I knew you wouldn't like it, but they persisted until I gave in."

He looked as if he was going to believe her, but then his smirk reappeared. "My feelings must have meant so much to you when his arm was around you and your faces were close enough to touch."

"You must have turned around right when he decided to whisper in my ear." She walked up to him so they were toe to toe. "I was going to push him away right when you barged out. I'm married to you, not him, whether I remember it or not. I wouldn't hurt you like that."

She waited for him to say something, anything at all, but he didn't. He still had a skeptical look on his face as he tried to read hers. She groaned. "What do I have to do to make you trust me, Nik?"

**_Caroline's Memory_**

_"You should have called me!" Klaus yelled as he paced the floor of Caroline's dorm room._

_Caroline sat down on her bed. "Nik, that's crazy! All I did was ask Tyler for a ride home, and the only reason I did that was because he was the only one there. How was I supposed to know that my car was going to break down?"_

_"You had no control over your car, but you didn't have to go with him."_

_She rolled her eyes. "So I was supposed to call you to drive 45 minutes to come pick me up at the library and bring me back to my dorm? Why would I do that? It was way more convenient to just catch a ride with someone."_

_"And it would have been fine if that someone wasn't your ex." He had stopped pacing, but she realized she would probably prefer it to his staring at her like he was doing now._

_She walked over to him. "Are you jealous?" She didn't wait for a reply. "Because you know that I don't have feelings for Tyler anymore. You are the only one I care about." She placed her hand on his forearm. _

_His jaw clenched as he pulled away. "Next time, I'd prefer it if you called me. I don't like you being alone with him."_

_She sighed. "What do I have to do to make you trust me, Nik?"_

**_Present Day_**

Caroline's eyes were wide as she felt like a wave just crashed into her brain. She looked up to see that Klaus' expression matched hers.

"Did you just call me Nik?" He whispered.

"I…I…I just remembered something," She stammered.

He grabbed her upper arms with his hands, steadying her shaking form. "Are you alright?"

She felt a flutter in her stomach as she noticed that he asked her how she was before interrogating her about what she remembered. "I'm fine," a small smile formed on her lips.

"What did you remember, sweetheart?" He quietly asked as he brushed her hair away from her face.

She concentrated on the memory. She felt like it might disappear if she stopped replaying it in her mind. "We were fighting in my dorm room. You were mad at me for getting a ride from Tyler because my car broke down. I think the reason I remembered it was because I asked you the same question then that I asked you tonight." She looked up when she heard his laugh. In that moment, she saw the happiness on his face, his genuine smile, the light in his eyes.

"You remembered," he said out loud, as if that would make it more real to him. "And you have no idea how good it was to hear you call me Nik instead of Klaus, love." He rested one hand on her cheek.

She placed her hand on top of his. "If it meant so much to you, why didn't you tell me to call you Nik?"

"Because I wanted _you_ to remember me as Nik, not Klaus."

She could see that in his mind, Klaus was the guy she knew when she was in high school, and Nik was the man she fell in love with. She nodded. "I hope that one day I'll remember exactly when I started calling you Nik, and what made me change my mind, but for now, is it okay that I go ahead and call you Nik?"

He smiled and pulled her into his chest. He panicked at first when he realized that he did it out of reflex, but when he felt her arms wrap around his torso, he relaxed. "I would like nothing more," he replied.

"Caroline?" She heard her name being called by her best friend.

She sighed and reluctantly pulled away from Klaus. "Over here." She called back.

Elena rounded the corner and approached the couple. "Hey," She awkwardly looked between the two. Matt and Tyler weren't far behind.

Caroline saw that Tyler wouldn't even look her in the eye. She didn't mean to embarrass him, but she had to let him know where he stood. Besides, she had never personally told him she thought they were still together.

"We were just going to see if you needed a ride home," Elena added.

Caroline looked at Klaus, whose gaze was on her. She smiled before turning back to her best friend. "Nik's going to take me home. Thanks though." She grabbed his hand in hers, entwining their fingers.

He squeezed her hand in his before releasing it, pulling her against his side, and wrapping his arm around her waist.

"See you later, then." Elena waved before she, Tyler, and Matt made their way to Matt's car.

Caroline allowed Klaus to lead her to his car so he could take her home. "How is Elijah going to get home?"

"He brought his own car," Klaus responded.

He knew that any day now she would remember everything about their lives together. He just had to have faith.


	6. Chapter 6

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Weeks passed by, and Klaus continued to take photo albums, home videos, anything that could spark her memory, to Caroline's house. He grew frustrated when no more memories surfaced, but he tried to hide it from her as best as he could. However, one day their emotions got the best of them.

**_A few days prior_**

"This isn't working, Nik," Caroline launched herself from the couch and started pacing the floor. She felt like she was still looking through a stranger's photo albums, a stranger who oddly looked just like her. She sighed as she ran her fingers through her blonde curls. "Nothing is working."

Klaus was as frustrated as she was. He could argue that he was more frustrated because he actually _did_ remember their life together. He felt the absence of that life every day that she didn't remember. For her, it never even existed. But he knew he had to stay strong for her, at least while he was standing in front of her. She had to know that she could count on him to be her rock. He also didn't want her thinking that he was angry at her for not remembering. So he walked around the coffee table positioned in front of the couch and stopped her movement by placing his hands on her shoulders.

"It's alright, love. There has to be some way to trigger your memory, and we will figure it out. Just give it some time." He tried to stay as calm as possible, not letting any of his irritation show. He continued to remind himself that this was not her fault, which removed most of that exasperation. Klaus needed her to see his hope, not his doubt.

She pushed his hands off of her shoulders. "How are you okay with this? I don't remember us. Our marriage. Our life. Yet you act like it's nothing!" She threw her arms in the air. "Doesn't it bother you?" Her voice was at a yell by the time she finished her question.

Klaus pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to remain calm. He wanted to yell back. He wanted to tell her that it bothered him tremendously. He wanted her to know that of all the bad things he had been through in his lifetime, this was probably the hardest thing he's had to deal with: she was right in front of him but didn't love him. It was as if he had had her, but lost her all in a split second. But he didn't want to upset her like that, so he fought his emotions.

"Do you even care?" She screamed again when he didn't reply right away to her first questions. Every piece of her knew that he did. He came to her every day in hopes that she would remember, that proved it, but she felt like she was in a battle that only she could fight, and she was tired. She instantly wished she could take it back when she saw the pain in his eyes.

His head shot up so he could look her in the eyes, to see if she was seriously asking him that question. "Of course I care!" His mask broke. His emotions were burning through him, and there was no stopping them. "How do you think I feel? I sit here every day, trying, _fighting_ for you to get your memory back. I have to live with the fact that I love you, and you don't feel the same." When he saw the tears forming in her eyes, he lowered his voice. "I try to hide my anger from you because I don't want you to feel responsible for this. It isn't your fault. It's _my _fault!" He turned away from her and took his seat on the couch again. He put his head in his hands as he tried to get some control over his feelings.

"Your fault?" Caroline quietly asked, her fury evaporating. "What are you talking about? This is not your fault." She took a seat on the coffee table in front of him. When he wouldn't look at her, she pulled his hands away from his face. She saw the tears in his eyes. "Why do you think this is your fault?"

"You were coming to see me. I should have just gone home that night. I could have taken the paintings home with me to finish. You should never have been driving in that fog." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Nik," she grabbed both his hands in hers. "From what I heard, I chose to get in that car and come to you. That accident was not your fault and it wasn't mine. It was exactly what I said, an _accident_. You were doing your job, and I know I wouldn't have expected you to bring it home just so I wouldn't try to bring you dinner. Those were my choices, and I don't want you feeling guilty about it anymore, okay?" She squeezed his hands.

His eyes were still filled with tears as he listened to her speak. "I'll try, sweetheart, but I'm not making any promises."

"I'll tell you every day if that's what it takes," she smiled.

**_Present Day_**

Klaus was stomping around his house. He felt helpless. There seemed to be nothing he could do to help Caroline get her memory back. She had done as she promised, reminding him every day that it wasn't his fault that she had gotten in that accident, and if he was being honest, he was finally starting to believe it. He felt hopeful every time he saw her, believing that that would be the day all her memories would come rushing in. But whenever no memories returned, the doubt would creep back into his mind as he made his way home alone every night.

He slammed the refrigerator door shut for what had to be the tenth time when he still couldn't find anything to eat. He wasn't really hungry. The knot in his stomach was far too large to leave any room for food, but he knew he needed to eat something since it had been almost 24 hours since his last meal.

"What did the refrigerator ever do to you?" A female voice asked.

Klaus turned around to see his sister standing in the doorway. Normally, he would have been glad to have the company, but today was just a bad day for him. It was one of those days where everything seemed to be piled on top of him, and he didn't know how he was going to make it out.

"How did you get in?" He asked the blonde as he made his way into the living room and plopped down in his chair.

Rebekah followed him and took a seat on the couch. "Now, that isn't any way to greet your dear sister is it?"

Klaus rolled his eyes and sighed. "What are you doing here, Rebekah?"

She crossed her legs and leaned back, letting her brother know she was going to be there for a while if she needed to be. "I came to check on you. How are things going with Caroline?"

"Just wonderful," he smirked.

Then it was time for Rebekah to do the eye rolling. "I can tell you are in a terrible mood, Nik, but please don't take it out on me. I'm just here because I care about you."

"And you seem to be the only one."

"I know that can't be true. Matt told me about what happened at the Grill. Caroline chose you." Rebekah reminded him.

He almost smiled at the memory of that night. "She hasn't remembered anything else since then. I don't know how to change that."

"Well, what happened that made her remember last time?"

He explained to her what happened that night, and the wheels in her mind started churning as she started to think of ways to help her brother.

"I've got an idea," she declared after a moment of silence.

Klaus raised his eyebrows as a signal that he was listening and for her to continue. At this point, he would try anything.

"Recreate something that happened in your life together, something that is meaningful to the both of you. You've tried pictures and videos, but maybe if you actually _do_ something you've done before, she will remember," the blonde explained.

Klaus' smile began to grow as a thought popped into his mind. "Our first date." He jumped out of his chair and planted a kiss on his sister's cheek. "Thank you, Rebekah."

"Anytime," she smiled. "But I must be on my way. Matt is waiting for me. Let me know how it goes," she called over her shoulder as she made her way out the door.

Klaus sent Caroline a text telling her to get dressed because he was taking her somewhere. He told her it was a surprise, but that he would be there at seven. She agreed, so he hurried to get ready, and then made his way to her house.

* * *

Caroline was curious as to where he would be taking her, but she didn't ask too many questions. She liked surprises, and she figured he knew that. Besides, she felt like the past couple of weeks had been pretty rough and the two of them deserved a night out. She put on a casual dress and a pair of wedges, and made her way downstairs to wait for him to pick her up. The doorbell rang at exactly seven o'clock.

"Right on time," she smiled as she opened the door.

Klaus was standing there in a black shirt and jeans, his usual necklaces in place. He wanted to comment on the fact that she had said that to him on their first date as well when he showed up on time, but he decided against it. He did, however, wait to see if it produced any memories, but when he saw that it didn't, he spoke.

"Always," he stated as he did on that first night. "You look beautiful, love."

He saw the light blush cover her cheeks as she thanked him. He led her out to the car, and began to drive in the direction of the restaurant.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

He looked over at her and smiled, his dimples obvious. "You'll just have to wait and see." He had to tell himself to quit expecting these typical phrases to spark her memories and to just enjoy the evening.

"Fine," she stated, "but only because I love surprises."

Klaus chuckled, but didn't say another word. He pulled up at the only nice restaurant in town. It was an Italian restaurant, and everyone was familiar with it that grew up in or around Mystic Falls. He walked around the car to help Caroline get out. He made sure to watch her facial expressions, much like he did that first night.

He saw the slight smile dancing on her lips, and he couldn't help but get his hopes up. "What's so funny?" He asked.

Her eyes widened in surprise. She had no idea he had been watching her so closely. "It's nothing." She shook her head.

"No, tell me," he pushed.

She gestured towards the restaurant. "It's just so typical for a first date. Although, this isn't a first date, or a date really, but…" she started rambling.

He had hoped her first statement would have done something, but if it did, she didn't let him know. "Actually, I brought you here on our first date, and you told me the same thing; it was so typical for a first date."

Her face flushed in embarrassment. "That was so rude of me. I didn't even know you that well back then."

He laughed. "That's what I always admired about you, your honesty. But Rebekah gave me the idea of recreating our first date. Maybe that will bring up another memory."

"Oh, yes, that's a great idea! Let's go in. We'll get the same table, and you can tell me what I ate if you remember, and…"

He cut her off. "We didn't actually go in." When he saw her confused expression he continued. "You told me it was a typical first date, and I'm anything but typical," he smirked, "so we left."

"Where did we go?" Her brow was still puckered.

"Let's go, and I'll show you." He opened her door and waited for her to get in the car before going to his own side. Then, he drove off to the next location.

Caroline didn't expect the little detours that they had to make, but she was excited to see where the date would ultimately lead. Klaus pulled into the parking lot in front of a small store and told Caroline to wait in the car. Not wanting to ruin the process of what she had done on the first date, she did what he said. When he returned, he handed her the bag and pulled out of the parking lot to go to the next destination. Caroline looked inside the bag to see a blanket.

"What do we need a blanket for?" She asked.

Klaus threw her a crooked smile. "You'll see."

She sighed. "Should I just stop asking questions until we get there?"

"Probably." He kept his eyes on the road.

Their next stop was at a deli. Klaus told Caroline to follow him in, as she had done on their first date. When he asked her what she would like, she asked for the same thing that she had all those years ago: turkey on a crescent roll. He placed their order, and after they received it, they made their way back to the vehicle. The next stop was their last destination. It was a spot on the outside of town. There was no one around, but there were trees as far as the eye could see.

"Please tell me we aren't going hiking," Caroline stated as she looked out her window. When she didn't get a reply she turned to see that Klaus was busy getting everything together. "Nik?"

He looked at her, perfectly aware of the question that she had asked. "It's just a short hike."

"Nik! I didn't wear shoes for hiking." She pointed down to her wedged heels. "You could have at least warned me."

"I didn't on our first date, so I couldn't now. Sorry, sweetheart." He got out of the vehicle, and went around the other side to help her get out. He had the blanket and food in a bag in his hand. "I promise it's not a long walk."

"It better not be!" She responded as she closed the door behind her.

He smiled at the response that was so similar to the first time. _Please let this work_, he thought to himself. "Come on." He began to lead her towards the trees.

They were only walking about ten minutes when a clearing broke in the trees. There was a small garden of wild flowers scattered through the small open field, but that wasn't where they stopped. They continued to walk until they were just inside the tree line on the other side of the clearing. Klaus stopped, and Caroline made a circle as she took in their environment.

"This is where we are stopping?" She asked, not understanding why it was so special.

Klaus laid out the blanket on the ground before motioning for Caroline to take a seat. "If everything goes according to plan, you will see why around sunset."

Caroline didn't ask any more questions. She and Klaus took a seat on the blanket, and Klaus handed her the sandwich she ordered. They ate, and Klaus did as she had asked by trying to discuss the things they had discussed on their first date. He did as best as he could to remember as much as possible, but he knew he wasn't covering everything. Right about sunset, he told Caroline to be as quiet as possible and watch in the open field.

Caroline took in the view of the beautiful flowers and the way the sunlight was breaking through the bottom of the trees as it began to set. She was beginning to think that was the sight that Klaus wanted her to see when all of a sudden an image hit her like a ton of bricks. She gasped.

Klaus' eyes began to search the open field because he figured she had seen what she had been intended to see, but when he didn't see anything he turned to look at her. Her eyes were wide and one hand was placed over her mouth.

"What is it?" Klaus asked, beginning to panic.

Caroline turned towards him, a smile forming on her lips. "I remembered it. It was just an image, but I remembered sitting here and looking out at the field. It was full of horses."

Klaus' smile matched hers. "Yes! They are wild horses, mustangs. They come here all the time, and we come to watch them ever so often. You remembered!" He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"It worked." She whispered in his ear. Then, she pulled far enough away so that she could see his face, but she was still close enough that she could feel his breath. "It worked," she repeated.

His hands moved to either side of her face, holding her close. "Yes, it did." He smiled.

Her eyes flickered to his mouth as she licked her lips. She felt so close to him in that moment, not only physically, but emotionally. She wanted him to kiss her. She laid her forehead on his and closed her eyes. The butterflies in her stomach were swarming as she felt his nose brush against hers.

Klaus wanted nothing more than to close the gap between them in that moment. His lips longed to be against hers, but he didn't know if she was ready for that yet. He could tell that she wanted him to kiss her, but he didn't want to give her any reason to pull away from him emotionally, so he used every bit of strength he had and pulled away. He kissed her on the forehead before standing up. He could see the disappointment on her face. She looked like she had been rejected and that broke his heart. He pulled her to her feet and smashed her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.

"Not yet," he whispered in her ear.

She nodded against his chest, reassured that he wanted to kiss her, but disappointed that it didn't happen that night.

"Let's get you home." He told her, but again saw the saddened look on her face. "Maybe we can watch a movie or something before I leave."

She smiled. "Okay, sounds good." She helped him pick up their things before they left. On the way to the car, she entwined their hands, trying to give him a sign that proved she was in this for the long haul, no matter how long it took. "Hey, what about the horses?" She asked when she realized they didn't stick around to see if the horses would show up.

"We'll come back," he promised. They got inside the car, and Klaus drove back towards Mystic Falls.


	7. Chapter 7

**HELLOOOOOO! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and hit that favorite button! **

**This chapter just gives a little information about the past mainly. The little bit of info I get into about how Klaus was when Caroline was in high school will probably be about as deep as I go where his past actions are concerned. BUT, I will most likely get into what made him act that way at some point in the future of this story.**

**Anywhooooo, thank you again, and Happy Reading…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD, The Originals, or any of their characters.**

* * *

When Caroline and Klaus arrived at Caroline's mom's home it didn't take them long to figure out they were alone. Caroline had always hated how much her mother worked ever since she could remember. It seemed as if it only got worse when her father left. However, tonight she decided that it was a good thing. She wanted to have more time alone with Klaus so she could figure out a little more about her life.

Klaus took a seat on the couch as Caroline sifted through the large stack of DVDs. He was happy to be spending so much time with her, even if it was like when they first started dating. He leaned back into the sofa and smiled as he thought about the night they had had so far.

"Is there anything in particular you want to watch?" Caroline looked toward him over her shoulder. She saw the smile that played on his lips as he had been watching her and her face flushed. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" The butterflies were fluttering in her stomach again.

His smile grew as he slightly shook his head. "No reason." He loved seeing the affect he had on her now. It was such a change from how she had reacted to him when she had first woken up in the hospital.

Caroline rolled her eyes but she couldn't keep her own smile from growing. "Whatever." She turned her focus back on the stack of DVDs. "My mom doesn't have any good movies. They are all old." She stood up and sighed. "Where did all of _my_ movies go?"

Klaus raised his eyebrows as he waited for her to connect the dots. When she didn't, he chimed in. "Sweetheart, you took all of your movies to our house."

She crossed the room and took a seat on the couch beside him. "Of course I did," she whispered more to herself than as in a reply to Klaus. "Why wouldn't I take my movies to _my _house?" As she began to think about that question more and more, a different thought crossed her mind. She turned so she was facing Klaus. "Hey, Nik, why have I not seen our house yet?"

He shrugged. "I figured you would ask to see it when you were ready."

She nodded, satisfied with that answer. "Do you stay there? I mean, have you since the accident?" Her wide blue eyes showed how unsure she was about asking that question.

Klaus looked down at his entwined hands. He began to twiddle his thumbs as he thought about how to answer her. "Sometimes," he finally answered honestly.

"Where else do you stay?"

"Usually I stay with Rebekah at the mansion. There are plenty of rooms there, so she doesn't mind." He told her with a crooked smile. When he saw that Caroline was getting upset at his confession, he quickly tried to change the subject. "But that's enough about me, love. What would you like to do since every movie your mother owns is too old for you to watch," he teased.

Caroline playfully slapped his arm and laughed. "Actually, that's not enough about you. I want you to tell me how and when you asked me out on our first date." She pulled her legs under her so she was all curled up on the couch. She intended to get every last detail.

"You really want to hear about this now?" He asked.

"Why not? You recreated our first date tonight, so I would like to know how you asked me. Also, I'd like to know what changed my mind in the first place." She didn't expect the story to bring back any memories, but she was looking forward to learning more about how their relationship started.

"Well, I can't exactly tell you what you were thinking and what truly changed your mind, but I'll tell you everything from my point of view." He turned so he was fully facing her as well. "The day you finally agreed to go out with me was a week after you graduated high school. You and Tyler had broken up a few months prior to that. You had actually been the one to break it off with him. You told me that you just weren't in love with him anymore, and that you knew it was time to move on…."

**_Flashback_**

Caroline was eating lunch with Elena at the Grill. They had spent their morning shopping, but Elena practically had to drag Caroline to the Grill because she couldn't wait any longer to eat. Caroline would have preferred to continue her shopping spree. It was summer. They were supposed to be having fun.

As the two were finishing their meals they heard the bells chime above the front door. They both turned to see Elijah and Klaus enter the restaurant.

"Oh, great…" Caroline murmured.

Elena laughed at her best friend. "Don't act like you aren't at least a little attracted to him."

Caroline's jaw dropped before she spoke. "I am not!"

"Then how do you know which one I'm talking about?" Elena smirked at the blonde across from her.

Caroline groaned. "Whatever, Elena. I am not! Besides, I just broke up with Tyler."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Months ago, Care. Plus, you hadn't been in love with him for months before you actually broke up with him. It's alright for you to move on."

"And you expect me to move on with Klaus? Really, Elena? Of all people." Caroline scoffed at the thought, but something inside her seemed intrigued by the idea.

While the two were bickering back and forth, they failed to realize that Klaus was walking over to their table. Luckily, he hadn't heard what they were saying before he actually arrived.

"Hello ladies," he greeted them. The two girls' heads shot up to see him standing there. They were both too shocked to reply. "Elena, would you mind if I spoke to Caroline alone, please?"

Elena looked between the two. She didn't miss the slight shake of Caroline's head, but she chose to ignore it. "Uh, sure. I'll just be over there." She pointed in a general direction and took off.

Klaus took the seat that she had been sitting in before he started speaking. "How are you, Caroline?"

Caroline crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. She was trying her best to look like she wasn't interested in anything he had to say. "Get to the point, Klaus."

"Alright, then. Go out with me." He stated.

Her eyes widened at his bluntness. "Why would I ever go out with you?"

"Just give me one chance, Caroline. If you don't have a nice time, I will leave you alone."

Caroline thought about his offer. All she had to do was go out with him one time, and then she would never have to talk to him again. But what if she had a good time? She sighed. "Fine. One chance. One date."

Klaus smiled. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven then, love." He stood up and walked away to join his brother at a different table.

_What did I just agree to?_ Caroline thought to herself.

**_Present Day_**

"Why would you ever want to date me? I was so mean to you." Caroline asked, honestly curious.

Klaus shrugged. "I could ask you the same."

Caroline thought about it, and she would never have to think twice about going out with the man that was in front of her right now. He wasn't the Klaus she used to know. "Well, I'm glad you wanted to."

"And I'm glad you finally said yes." He took her left hand in his and began playing with her ring.

The rest of the night passed by with much lighter discussion topics. Klaus left close to midnight because Caroline wanted him to get home before he became too sleepy to drive. She couldn't help but notice that her feelings for him grew every time she was with him. That night she fell asleep with a smile on her face for the first time since the accident.

* * *

The next morning Caroline heard the doorbell ring. She thought it was going to be Klaus, so she jumped out of bed and ran downstairs, stopping by a mirror to catch a glance of her reflection. After running her fingers through her hair a couple of times, she opened the front door with a big smile on her face. However, it wasn't Klaus on the other side.

"Elena, hi, what are you doing here?" Caroline tried not to let her disappointment show. She stepped aside so Elena could enter.

"I just wanted to come see how you were doing. I haven't heard from you since the night you left the Grill with Klaus."

Caroline led her best friend into the living room to have a seat. "I'm great. Nik has just been trying to figure out ways to help me get my memory back."

"Is anything working?" Elena's voice was filled with hope for her friend.

"Yeah, actually." Caroline began to explain what was causing the memories and flashes to come to her. She also told Elena about all the things Klaus was telling her about.

"It sounds like you two are getting closer," the brunette prodded.

"We are," Caroline couldn't keep the smile from her face as she talked about him. "He is nothing like I thought he was."

"He's not how you thought he was because of you," she corrected Caroline. "You changed him. For the better."

"I wish I remembered everything." Caroline sighed. "Up until recently, I only saw Nik as the person he used to be. The one that would fight with everyone that just looked at him the wrong way. Do you remember that time that he punched Tyler for no reason?"

Elena laughed. "I highly doubt he had no reason. Tyler had a knack for pushing his buttons, but I do remember the fight, and how at the time it seemed like Tyler had done nothing wrong. I don't think Tyler has ever forgiven him for it either, and now Klaus has you, which makes Tyler even more mad."

Caroline thought about what Elena said. "You're probably right. Nik just always seemed so mean, or maybe I should say Klaus, that I always thought the worst of him. But he did tantalize Tyler all the time. And I definitely never thought he was capable of loving someone. His relationships never lasted, and he would always flirt with girls to try to make me jealous. Now, I see that he loves me unconditionally. If he didn't, he wouldn't be sticking by my side like he is."

Elena was happy for Caroline. "Care, you changed him." She repeated. "He _was_ mean. He beat people up for the dumbest reasons. He never cared about hurting a girl's feelings. Until you came along. I don't know the whole story because you've never felt like it was your place to tell it, but I know that there was a reason for the way Klaus acted, and whatever it was, you helped pull him out of it. He does love you unconditionally, and I'm glad you see that."

"Thanks 'Lena." Caroline squeezed her best friend's hand. "Can I ask you something though?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Why did you bring Tyler out with us the other night if you wanted me to be with Nik?"

Elena shook her head. "I didn't even know Tyler was coming. Evidently Matt let it slip that we were going out to dinner, and Tyler invited himself when he heard that you were coming. The one good thing that came out of it though, was that you realized your feelings for Tyler were gone."

Caroline nodded. "That's true."

"Now, can I ask you something?" The brunette asked.

Caroline laughed. "Yes, go ahead."

"Why aren't you with Klaus, Care? It seems to me like you've fallen in love with him all over again." Elena's brow was furrowed.

"I'm getting there," Caroline agreed. Silently, she began to think it over. _I can't wait to see him every day. I want to spend as much time with him as possible. I'm supposed to be living my life like I was prior to the accident. We're married. He's too lonely to go back to our home._ An idea popped into her mind. "Elena, I need you to do me a favor."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Give me about thirty minutes, and then I'm going to need you to take me somewhere. I know what I need to do." And with that, the blonde disappeared from the room.


End file.
